Golf club grip



Jam 19, 1943. a P. RExD -2,308,779

GOLF CLUB lGRIP Filed July 25, 1941 Patented Jan. 19, 1943 UNITED spares iraient aries GOLF CLUB GRIP Glenn P. Reid, West Los Angeles, Calif Application July 23, 1941, Serial No. 403,747

1 Claim.

My invention relates to golf club grips and more particularly to means for indicating to the golfer the proper position for at least his upper hand when he grips the club. As is well known many misdirected balls are the result of the upper hand of the player being incorrectly positioned on the club handle. It is known, also, that few players outside the ranks of the experts grip the club in precisely the same manner for every stroke. Such variances, even though slight, have corresponding results in the flight of the ball with the result that the players game is injured.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of my invention to provide an improved indicating means on the handle of the golf club whereby the player may be assured of uniform grip for each stroke.

A further object is to provide a projecting indicator which is engageable in a crease in the players hand which is formed when the hand grips the club.

A further object is to provide a projecting indicator like that last described wherein the indicator projects to a substantial height at its forward end but is progressively reduced in height toward its rear end.

A further object is to provide a projecting grip indicator which is adapted to lit into a crease formed in the hand of the player when the club is gripped and which indicator is arranged on the club shaft at `an angle coinciding with the long axis of such crease.

A further object is to provide a projecting grip indicator which is equally applicable to all players irrespective of the size of the players hands, variances in the correct grip for each player being compensated for when the indicator is initially applied to the club.

Still another object is to provide in a golf club grip a novel abutment means that restrains the grip from slipping when a players hands are Wet or sweaty, and which is disposed for pressure engagement by the uppermost part of the palm in making a back swing; thus preventing endwise slipping and enabling a more secure holding by a players iingers when encircling the grip.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of my invention, the combination of the same with a golf club, and in the particular mode of operation, all of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the drawing in connection with the specification wherein the invention is shown, described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the invention and showing a players hand gripping the club;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a golf club having the invention applied thereto;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of the handle of a golf club taken in the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view like Fig. 3 but is taken in the direction of the arrow 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the plane of the line 5 5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a View like Fig. 3 of a modification; and

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-1 of Fig. 6.

Referring specically to the drawing wherein like reference characters have been used throughout to designate like parts, ID designates the handle or shaft of a golf club which has a club head II. The free end I2 of the shaft is provided with my indicator I3 which is wedgeshaped in cross section. As is clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the indicator I3 is substantially large at its forward end I5 but is progressively reduced in both height and thickness towards its rear end I4. It is noted from Figs. 2 and 4 that the indicator I3 is not positioned in the shaft parallel to the axis thereof but, instead, is arranged spirally thereon. Considering the end of the shaft I0 as a clock face, the small or upper end I4 of the indicator is located at approximately 7:30 o'clock. In practice the indicator I3 is approximately one inch long and the upper end I4 thereof is located about one half inch from the free end of the shaft IS. Of course, these dimensions are approximate only,

Figures 6 and 7 show a modification which is applied to a handle corresponding to that of my prior Patent No. 2,218,268 dated October 15, 1940. In this form of the invention the shaft 20 of the club has a free end 22 to which is applied the indicator 23 which has a small rear end 24 and a large front end 25. By referring to Fig. 7 it will be seen that the indicator 23 is substantially larger than the indicator I3 of Figs. 1-5. The sloping sides of the indicator at its large end 25 are substantially tangent to the adjacent portion of the end 22 of the club.

As in the first described form of the invention, the same angular or spiral arrangement of the indicator 23 on the handle is used and the indicator is used in the same manner. The indicator cator may vary in its application.

23 is the same length as the indicator I3 but is somewhat higher and Wider at the large end 25. Obviously the angular relation of the sides of the indicator 23 is slightly different from that of the indicator I3. In fact, it might be said that the two forms of the invention represent the limits between which the size of the indi- Also, the '7:30-9:00 oclock angle of the indicator is subject to change as the angle at which the upper hand of the player grips the club may Vary slightly with various players and the angle shown is that Which is thought to be the correct one for most players.

While I have shown and described what is now thought to be the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that theV same is susceptible of other forms and expressions. Consequently, I do not limit myself to the precise structures shown and' described except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

A golf club comprising a straight shank having a head at one end and a grip at the other end, said grip having fixed thereon a longitudinally disposed rigid rib extending only over that portion which substantially is engaged by the little finger of a players upper hand, said rib being substantially triangular in cross section and having themajor portion of its apex in an arc substantially parallel to the axis of the shank, the longitudinal axis of said rib being angled With respect to the shank axis, and said rib being so positioned on the grip as to t into the crease of a players upper hand at the base of the little finger only When the club is correctly held with the head in proper ball addressing position.

GLENN P. REID. 

